Top-controlled oscillating mechanisms for electric fans



May 7, 1957 J. w. MOMBERG TOP-CONTROLLED OSCILLATING MECHANISMS FOR ELECTRIC FANS Filed Jan. 20, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. James W Momberg May 7, 1957 J. w. MOMBERG 2,791,122

TOPCONTROL LED OSCILLATING MECHANISMS FOR ELECTRIC FANS Filed Jan. 20, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

James W. Momberg United States Patent TOP-CONTROLLED OSCILLATING MECHANISMS FOR ELECTRIC FANS James W. Meaning; Siiin'i ville; N; Ji, assignor to The Singer Manufacturing Cpmpany, Elizabeth, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application January 20, 1954, SerialNo. 405,109 1 Claim. on. was

This invention relates to electric fans and more particularly to o'scillatiii'g mechanisms therefor which may be adjustable from the top.

lt is an object of this ihviiiion to provide a simple, compact and rugged mechanism for effecting the oscillation of a fan with respect to the fan support.

it is another object of this invention to provide improved means for controlling the extent of the fan oscillatron.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide means which may be readily adjusted during the operation of the fan for controlling the amplitude of oscillation of the fan.

With the above and other objects in view, as will hereinafter appear, the invention comprises the devices, combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter set forth and illustrated in the accompanying drawings of a preferred embodiment of the invention, from which the several features of the invention and the advantages attained thereby, will be readily understood by those skilled in the art.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section, partly in elevation, taken through an electric fan embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation, partly in section, of the electric fan of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view of part of the mechanism of Fig. 1.

Referring now to Fig. 1, a motor frame is shown with adjacent end-bells 11 and 12 in which is journaled a motor shaft 13. The shaft 13 has an extension end 14 with a flat for receiving a fan blade in the usual way. The frame 10, which is made preferably of die-cast metal, is formed with a cylindrical boss portion 15 containing a steel spindle 16 cast integrally with the boss portion.

The spindle 16 is pivotally journaled in a support 17 which is hinged to a base 18 as is customary with fans of this type. The end-thrust is carried by a steel ball 19 hearing against a hardened steel plate 20 in a socket 21.

The end-bell 12 is formed with a gear-case portion 22 and a bearing-support portion 23, the latter containing a bushing 24 for receiving a finished portion 25 of the shaft 13. An oil-wick 26 in a spring-holder 27 with a threaded cap 28v is received in a reservoir recess 29, and the wick 26 reaches through an aperture in the bushing 24, as shown, to contact the shaft portion 25 and thus to supply oil thereto for lubrication. Any oil which creeps along the bushing 24 to the slinger washers 31 is slung into an annular cavity 32 in the end-bell 12, whence it runs through a duct 33 into the reservoir recess 29 for absorption by the wick 26.

The shaft 13 is formed at one end with a worm 34 which engages the teeth of a worm-wheel 35 which is journaled in the gear-caseportion 22. The worm-wheel 35 is formed with a worm portion 36 which engages the 2,791,1Z'Z Patented Ma 7',

2. teeth of a worm-wheel 37 Which is secured to a liolloiiv shaft 38. A ring seal 30 prevents leakage of grease past the hub of the worm-wheel 37 ahd along the shaft The elements just described constitute a double 'wofm; gear reduction from the motor shaft 13 to the slowspe'ed actuator shaft 38. The shaft 38' is j'c iiirrialejd', at one iid, in a cylindrical bore 39in the ear-ease 22 and, at the other end, in the bore 49 of a closure cap 41 threaded into said gear-ease 2 2. I

Access to the interior of the gear-case for assembly is provided by apertures closed by removable aps 42, 43 and 44 threadedi'nt'o the gear-case 22. I Caps 43 and 44 also provide a beai'ir'ig" support fofrVshaft 45' which carries the worm 36 arid worm-wheel 35 as' seen best in Fig. 2.

The hollow shaft 38 terminates at' its lower ,efid iii a threaded portion 46 to which is secured for rotation there with a housing" 47. Located within a cylindrical depression 48 in the housing 47 is a disc 49 secured for rotation about a shouldered pivot screw 50 threaded into the housing at a point eccentric of the axis of the shaft 38. In the upper face of the disc 49 is an arcuate depression 51 formed with internal teeth 52, as seen best in Fig. 3.

A control stem 53 is positioned for rotation within the hollow shaft 38 and carries at its upper extremity an adjustment knob 54, and at its lower extremity a pinion car 55 which meshes with the internal teeth 52. Thus, by manipulation of the knob 54, which is removed from the normally rotating parts, the disc 49 may be safely rotated a limited amount about the pivot screw 50. To provide discrete adjustment steps for this rotation, the disc 49 is formed with external, smooth ratchet teeth 56; and a leaf spring 57 snapped into a segmental pocket 58 in the disc 49 is formed to engage said ratchet teeth and provides a detent therewith.

A crank pin 59 is secured to the disc 49 at the same radial distance from the pivot screw 50 as the hollow shaft so that the disc may be rotated from the position shown in Fig. 3 to bring the crank pin axis into alignment With that of the hollow shaft, in which case the crank pin will have zero throw and can impart no motion to a link member 60 connecting the crank pin 59 with a stationary pivot pin 61 secured to an offset portion 62 of the support 17 as seen best in Fig. 4.

It will be seen that, in the position of Figs. 3 and 4, the crank pin 59 has its maximum throw with respect to the axis of rotation of the housing 47, and this imparts the maximum amplitude of oscillation to the motor frame 10 about the axis of the spindle 16. If it is desired to decrease the amplitude of oscillation, the knob 54 is turned, which action imparts rotation to the pinion gear 55 which transfers rotation to the disc 49 which is turned about the pivot screw 50 until the spring 57 finds its next favored seated position with respect to the ratchet teeth 56. In this position, the crank pin 59 will describe an are about the axis of the hollow shaft 38 of smaller radius than before and, by means of the link 60 and the fixed pivot 61, will impart an oscillatory movement of the motor frame 10 of smaller amplitude than before. it is clear that this adjustment can be made at any time, even with the fan under running condition.

The limited arcuate extent of the depression 51 serves to provide built-in, positive stops to limit the oscillation adjustment to a useful range of amplitudes.

A feature of the construction according to the invention, which is of considerable merit in simplifying the assembly, resides in the fact that no cover plate is necessary to close the cylindrical depression 48 to retain the parts therewithin.

T he securement of the disc 49 by application of the pivot screw 50 during normal assembly is sufiicient to hold the parts intact.

It will be perceived from the above that, according to this invention, there is provided an oscillating mechanism for an electric fan, including means for manually adjusting the amplitude of oscillation during operation of the fan, which means is safely accessible from the top and away from the exposed and normally rotating elements.

Having thus described the nature of the invention, what I claim herein is:

"Oscillating mechanism for an electric fan having a motor and a motor casing mounted for bodily rotation on a stationary base, comprising a vertically-disposed hollow shaft journaled in one end of said casing and driven by said motor, a housing secured to the lower end, of said shaft for rotation therewith, an eccentric cavity formed in the lower face of said housing, a control stem positioned within said hollow shaft for rotation relative thereto, a pinion gear secured to said control stem, a disc positioned within said cavity and secured by a shouldered pivot screw to said housing for rotation eccentrically of said hollow shaft, an arcuate depression formed in the upper face of said disc having internal teeth for engagement with said pinion gear for imparting rotation to said disc by a turning movement of said control stem, a crank pin carried by said disc and limited for adjustment in a circular path which passes through the axis of said control stern, and a link member connecting the crank pin and a pivot point on said stationary base. a 9

References Citedin the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 421,297 Mills Feb. 11, 1890 820,933 Lewis May 15, 1906 [56,121 Finch Feb. 12, 1918 1,337,644 Dilg" Apr. 20, 1920 1,347,981 Winter July 27, 1920 1,638,027 Galvin Aug. 9, 1927 1,779,981 Nickerson -2 Oct. 28, 1930 1,856,268 Schmiedeknecht May 3, 1932 2,518,501 Snyder Aug. 15, 1950 

